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The Newsletter of
the
Socio-Ecological Union
A Center for Coordination
and Information
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Moscow, Russia -- Issue 3(25),
April, 2002
IN THIS ISSUE:
SIMULTANEOUS ACTION AGAINST GMOs
ACTIONS AGAINST McDonalds IN VORONEZH
WHETHER THE HOBBY OF THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT
THE ILLEGAL LOGGINGS IN ADYGHE ARE GOING ON
RADIOACTIVE DUST OVER KAZAKHSTAN
SIMULTANEOUS ACTION AGAINST GMOs
We modify our plants today - tomorrow they will modify us
On April 9 simultaneous actions against GMOs were held across Russia in Moscow, Yaroslavl, Voronezh,
Kostroma, Kazan, Nizhni Novgorod.
In Moscow the information action "WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT GMOs?" was held on Komsomolskaya square
, which is one of the most crowded places in the city, at an entrance in the "Ramstor" hypermarket
, which is the largest metropolitan shop. Action participants talked to the consumers and handed
out.
They asked what people know about genetically modified organisms (GMO's). The action was led by the
participants of SEU's Campaign "For biosafety".
In information sheets was the short illustrated story of GMOs, and what kind of consequences could
happen. Besides there was the list of some potentially unsafe products. The students of school N1321
"Covcheg" helped to distribute the leaflets and to interview people. Dressed in colourful costumes
of vegetables and fruits they distributed about 500 leaflets for 1,5 hours. The buyers showed their
interest. The action was successful. The hypermarket management showed their concern about
GMO-related issues and gave assistance to the action participants. A huge thanks to them for it.
In Russia such simultaneous action was held for the first time. It attracted significant attention
of national and regional media.
Similar actions were held in Yaroslavl and Kostroma. Activists went out to the streets of the
cities, talking to consumers about GM-foods.
In Kazan Students Nature Protection Movement, besides street talk, made and exhibition on GMOs
problem in the hall of Kazan University building. As all who attended the exhibition showed their
interest in the issue, orgnizers decided to make the exhibition a kind of permanent action, updating
constantly the informational materials.
In Voronezh action targeted local McDonalds, or, to be more correct, the place where it is planned
to be erected.
Some more actions are planned for the Earth Day.
Despite of the warnings that modern technologies of genetic engineering aren't balanced yet and can
give unpredictable result (so they are dangerous), trans-national corporations (TNC's) hurry up to
fill in the market by GM production.
The biotechnological corporations proclaim, that their new production - various kinds of genetically
modified organisms (GMO's) - would overcome the global famine, would cure epidemic diseases and
would improve the health of society.
Actually the leaders of GM industry by their actions in business and politics clearly show, that
they want simply to use GMO to grasp and monopolize the world market of crops, foodstuffs, medical
preparations, wood and other products. Because of that, the consumers, of course, should keep
abreast of events to make a choice in the "ocean" of various products. They should understand
consequences of using GMO for their health.
For additional information please contactseupress@seu.ru
ACTIONS AGAINST McDonalds IN VORONEZH
For more than two weeks the actions of protests against the building of McDonalds restaurant are
going on in the historical center of the city of Voronezh. Local citizens together with the
representatives of environmental, political and social organizations take part in protest actions.
McDonalds is supposed to be built on the place of the only park in the city center.
On the 14th of March 2002 "Stop McDonalds" Committee was formed during the first public meeting
against the building of McDonalds on the place of city park.
The protesters' demand:
1. Stop the building of McDonalds! This project does not take into account the opinion of the
citizens, and violates many regulations about the building of such objects.
2. Reconstruct the park as a historical place of Voronezh.
In Spring 2001 McDonalds Corporation acting through the false firm has bought the right of the
land-lease for the building of four fast-food restaurants, one of them was supposed to be built in
the historical center of the city. Sale of the right for land-lease was carried out with many
breaks, which was confirmed by the city prosecutor's department. Despite of the city regulations and
the opinion of the citizens the administration of the city permitted the building of restaurant in
the park.
Blockade of the building process lasted for five days and on the 25th of March, the six day of the
blockade, it was stopped by the active intervention of the police and administration of the city.
The blockade went on since March 20, activists organized daily duty in the park and did not allow
the builders to start their work, staying under the basket of excavator and taking apart the fence
around the park.
On the morning conference Voronezh major A. Kovalev, with red and angry face, shouted that the
building should be continued in spite of the protest, which involved several deputies of the
Regional Parliament, and that he was going to organize the ceremonial beginning of the building
together with the main city architect.
Instead of the promised ceremony the police regiment arrived in the park and pushed the protesters
away from the building machines. Local citizens reminded to the police, that in this park two police
officers were killed by the criminals ten years ago, and that McDonalds could not be a good memorial
to them.
Two hours later police arrested four participants of the protest for "participating non-sanctioned
meeting".
"If this is called "non-sanctioned meeting", about 200 people participated in it together with us
including bureaucrats from the city administration, - said one of the arrested activists, Svetlana
Dorokhova. - It seems that if you support the building of McDonalds then your participation is
sanctioned, if you are against then you break an order in the city".
Next day the local court made the decision that three activists of the Stop McDonalds committee were
not guilty.
Beside of it, about 20 paint-artists were already left without place for selling their pictures as
they were thrown out of the park, and more than 10 beautiful old trees were sawed off in the park.
On 29th of March "Stop McDonalds" Committee organized the street party, musicians from Voronezh and
several other cities played for free near the park to protect it.
On the 3rd of April activists attended the exhibition of architecture projects, where the project of
McDonalds was presented, and spoiled the opening ceremony, staying near mayor, head of the region
and the city main architect in the T-shirts with STOP MCDONALDS slogan, and distributing the
invitations to the meeting against the building. Later they were removed from the exhibition by the
police "for wearing wrong clothes".
During the actions activists collected more than 1000 signatures against the building of McDonalds.
After distributing call-for-solidarity letter we received more than 50 letters of support (and the
city administration received the letters of protest) from France, Canada, Belgium, Sweden, Germany,
Russia and USA. Activists from Nizhniy Novgorod supported us with two pickets of McDonalds
restaurants in their city.
"Stop McDonalds" Committee is not going to stop its activity, the struggle is going on.
More info stop_mcdonalds@mail.ru
Photos: http://no-corp.voronezh.net/photo/090402
WHETHER THE HOBBY OF THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT HELP BAIKAL?
Recently Vladimir Putin, the Russian president went to mountain skiing to Baikalsk town (on Lake
Baikal, in the south of Siberia) with his family. Using that, activists of "The Baikal Ecological
Wave" organization waited near the ski lift and passed to the president their letter.
In the letter they on an example of Baikal once again said about an inefficiency of organization of
the Ministry of Natural Resources (ministry combines functions of the control behind use of natural
resources and management of nature in itself). As a result Russia carries unwarrantable economic
losses instead of expected economic growth. It occurs because of easing the control behind execution
of the legislation on nature protection.
Because of such policy of the Russian government: "volumes of illegal clear-cuts of wood, poaching
have increased dramatically, state environmental assessment practically doesn't work; because of
continuous reorganization and reductions from a control system of especially protected natural
territories of Russia there lose their best staff".
Especially ridiculous and silly is the situation on the lake Baikal.
The experts of UNESCO heard about the plans of the UKOS and Transneft companies to lay an oil
pipeline from Russia to China through water territory of the lake and about their intentions to
develop a carburatted hydrogens field in delta of river Selenga (largest river running in Baikal).
Baikal is nominated for the UNESCO's list "The World Heritage in Danger".
At the same time the Ministry of Nature Resources contradicts itself: it issues the decrees both
permitting and forbidding to do the developments works near Baikal.
At the same time prospecting works on gas in delta of Selenga river are included in the Plan of
licensing for 2002, which is on the statement in the Ministry of nature resources.
"The Baikal Ecological Wave" also has sent the document with results of public hearings on the
Baikal problem to the Russian president. The document contains the constructive offers to
authorities to solve this impasse.
Before Rio+10 World Environmental summit, which will take place at the end of summer 2002 in
Southern Africa, the ability of international nature protection community to consider to the
problems of Baikal seriously can show how effectively they can solve the local and global
environmental problems.
For more information: marina@baikalwave.eu.org
THE ILLEGAL LOGGINGS IN ADYGHE ARE GOING ON
The illegal clear-cuts of forests in Adyghe Republic (the Caucasus, in the south of Russia) are
going on. Despite of the recent decision of the new president of republic "About measures on
maintenance of safety of forests on territory of Republic Adyghe".
"This is very timely decree, - Andrew Rudomakha, the chairman of branch of Socio-ecological Union
(SEU) on Western Caucasus speaks, - but while it not supported with the real mechanism of its
realization, situation with illegal clear-cuts won't change".
The illegal cuttings down permanently occur near to Maikop, in territory of Kudgorsky Forestry. One
of these days activists of SEU found another site of illegal logging of 22 perfect oaks. They
prevented the transportation of wood from the place of cutting. The poachers were not found.
Usually such cuttings remain unnoticed by the authorities. The main reason is that timber cutting
and processing of wood is the basic source of the income for great part of the inhabitants of nearby
settlements. Last 10 years the practice of illegal clear-cuts has got really national character
here. And even new rigid policy of Adyghe administration doesn't frighten illegal loggers.
The prices for wood have grown (in connection with an interdiction on cuttings down of the main
usage), and as it known the demand derives the supply. In opinion of the ecologists, one of
measures, which could correct a situation, is to establish the control of the road Maikop -
Labyinsk. At night by this line the machines with wood go from Kirozsky up to Maikop, but anybody
doesn't try to stop them for check at all.
Speaking of illegal logging at the Caucasus, we must say that it is high time for international
forest community to start a new campaign to protect Caucasian forests. Illegally logged valuable
timber, like oak, beech, chestnut is exported to Turkey, Italy, and Spain - to the countries, where
expensive furniture is manufactured. Then this furniture made from priceless Caucasian forests is
sold for a handsome price. Such furniture is also imported to Russia by different furniture
companies.
For more information: ies@mail.ru
RADIOACTIVE DUST OVER KAZAKHSTAN
Now the condition of storehouse radioactive tails of uranium manufacture of former Tselinny
Mining-chemical Centre is about 500 hectares of radioactive dust beaches. This enterprise is largest
in Kazakhstan and one of the largest in the world.
This enterprise is 25 kilometres from Stepnogorsk and 160 kilometres from Astana, present capital of
Kazakhstan. The situation is critic: the area of tailing dump - about 800 hectares and quantity in
45 millions tons of fine-dispersed radioactive pulp (total radioactivity of them is 150 thousand
curie) could be rather safe only in case of its permanent irrigation. Since 1996 production and the
processing of uranium ore were reduced, the irrigation of radioactive waste products became
unsufficient. Today only 1/3 part of this area is irrigated, and other 500 hectares are a constant
source of radioactive dust. Each year the wind erosion of tails dump amplifies.
March, 29 in Stepnogorsk by initiative of NGO "Stoik" the round-table discussion devoted to the
largest in Kazakhstan Stepnogorsky uranium tailing dump have passed. The members of Madgilis
(Kazakhstan parliament), deputies of regional and city maslikhats (administrations), akim (mayor) of
Stepnogorsk, supervising state ecological organizations, NGO's were participate in work of the round
table.
As a result of discussion they decide that deputies of parliament will push for allocation from the
republican budget of 50 million tenge for irrigation of tailing dump. The present proprietor -
Joint-Stock Company " Kaz-Subtone" can't solve the problem created before them for 30 years -
dusting of the tailing dump. Even though at the enterprise and the projects are developed, allowing
to stop radioactive dusting. The local budget also can't solve this problem.
On results of the round table the reference in which it is spoken was accepted, that support of the
government is need to solve the problem of uranium tailing dump, "as Stepnogorsky uranium tailing
dump isn't local, but global problem".
Now it is impossible to estimate real scales of harm of radioactive pollution, because there are no
means for a full-scale check. However threat of life and to health of people is obvious: in city and
nearby settlements high interest of cancer diseases.
Back to SEU Times home page
This issue was written and complied by
Sviatoslav Zabelin - the SEU Council Co-Chair, svet@seu.ru
Olga Berlova, Victoria Kolesnikova seupress@seu.ru
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